1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to gas furnaces and, in particular, to a burner mounting assembly for aligning combustion burners within a burner box so that a discharge end of each burner directs heated flue gas into a corresponding heat exchanger cell. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment hereinafter shown and described, this invention relates to a support member that releasably secures therein individual burners prior to assembly with the burner box.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Gas furnaces typically include a primary heat exchanger positioned adjacent a burner box containing burners. During operation of the furnace, a blower moves circulating air over the heat exchanger to produce heated air that is directed to a desired location. Gas is supplied to the burner box by a gas manifold having orifices that direct the gas into the burners. The gas exiting the burners is ignited by an ignitor provided in the burner box. The burners allow combustion of the gas as well as direct heated flue gas into the heat exchanger. The typical heat exchanger includes cells with a channel or pass formed in each cell to direct the flow of flue gas produced by combustion. These cells are positioned side by side in a parallel manner and are provided with a predetermined spacing to allow the blower air to flow around the cells. The blower air is thus heated by convection as it circulates over the cells.
A sheet metal panel or cell panel having burner target plates is typically provided to position the burner box relative to the cells contained in the heat exchanger. The burner target plates provided in the cell panel serve two functions in that they provide a seat for an inlet port of a corresponding heat exchanger cell while also providing a zone or target area with a central opening at which a corresponding burner is directed so that heated flue gas produced by combustion is directed into the corresponding heat exchanger cell.
The residential heating industry has advanced with the advent of condensing gas furnaces. These furnaces typically included a primary heat exchanger as well as a condensing heat exchanger. A blower in these condensing heat furnaces similarly provides circulating air flow over both heat exchangers to produce heated air that may be directed to a desired location by a system of ductwork and registers.
In such condensing furnaces, both the primary heat exchanger and the condensing heat exchanger include cells with a channel or pass formed therein to direct the flow of flue gas produced by combustion. These cells in both the primary and secondary heat exchangers are positioned side by side in a parallel manner and are provided with a predetermined spacing to allow blower air to flow around both groups of heat exchanger cells. Gas is similarly provided to the condensing furnace by a gas manifold having orifices that direct the gas into burners contained in a burner box. The gas is ignited by an ignitor as it exits the burners contained in the burner box. The heat and flue gas produced by combustion is then directed into the primary heat exchanger cells and induced to move through the heat exchangers.
The condensing heat exchanger of the furnace is configured in a similar manner to its primary heat exchanger. A series of side by side condensing cells is provided. Each of these condensing cells has an inlet port for receiving flue gas discharged from the primary heat exchanger. The inlet ports of the condensing heat exchanger cells are aligned and secured in a sheet metal panel forming the inlet side of the condensing heat exchanger. The condensing cells function to exchange heat with the clean circulation air and to condense water vapor out of the products of combustion contained in the flue gas. This condensate drains from the condensing cells into a collector box provided on the discharge side of the condensing heat exchanger. The collector box includes tubing to further drain the condensate from the box into drain piping. The two heat exchangers are mounted together to form a single integrated unit capable of receiving and heating clean circulating air provided from the blower. These condensing gas furnaces similarly include a cell panel having burner target plates for aligning the primary heat exchanger cells and directing burner discharge into the cells.
With recent advancements in the art, a commercially feasible condensing gas furnace having four possible installation orientations has been proposed by the assignee of the present invention. Such gas-fired furnaces are known in the art as multi-poise condensing furnaces and are disclosed, for example, in the copending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/089697, entitled "Multi-Poised Condensing Furnace". These multi-poise furnaces are installable with either an upflow, downflow, horizontal-right flow, or horizontal-left flow orientation. They include design features which allow the furnace to function properly and just as efficiently in any one of these four possible installation orientations. One such feature results in proper drainage of condensate from the condensing heat exchanger cells into the collector box irrespective of the selected installation orientation.
All of the above gas-fired furnaces include combustion burners having an inlet end for receiving a supply of gas from a gas manifold and a discharge end for directing heated flue gas into a corresponding heat exchanger cell. Recent technical advances in the art have allowed for the manufacture of individual burners which require periodic inspection and replacement when necessary. It has thus become desirable to accommodate these burners in an assembly allowing ease of manufacture and quick inspection and replacement of individual burners with a minimum of disassembly of the furnace.